Despite the land's high valuation, the firm is said to have paid just 500 in stamp fees, bypassing the mandatory 7 per cent duty (5 per cent state tax, 1 per cent metro cess, and 1 per cent local body tax).
Records from the Ministry of Corporate Affairs show that Amadea Enterprises LLP was formed with a capital contribution of 99,000 from Parth Pawar (99 per cent stake) and 1,000 from his cousin Digvijay Patil (1 per cent stake).
The company's last annual return was filed on December 31, 2023. Notably, the sale deed bears the signature of Patil, who was appointed as a partner on August 27, 2021 — two days before Parth officially joined the firm.
Patil is among the three accused named in the FIR filed by the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police, along with Tejwani and suspended sub-registrar Ravindra Taru.
Financial documents reviewed by India Today further reveal that Parth Pawar had withdrawn 68.47 lakh from the company and was shown to have drawn a salary of 52.47 lakh, while Patil received 53,000 as salary.
Following widespread outrage, the Maharashtra Police constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Senior Police Inspector Anil Vibhute to probe the land transaction. The SIT comprises eight officers and investigators.
Responding to the allegations, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said his son was unaware that the property was government-owned and that the deal has since been scrapped. However, he added that the company will have to pay double the stamp duty of Rs 42 crore to cancel the transaction.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis stated that the police are acting strictly in accordance with the law and assured that "no one will be spared".
# Exposed: How Ajit Pawar's Son's Firm Nabbed Rs 1,800-Crore Pune Land with a Rs 21-Crore Stamp Duty Waiver – The Data Centre Ploy That Backfired
November 11, 2025**
In the cutthroat world of Maharashtra real estate, where prime plots can flip fortunes overnight, a fresh scandal has erupted involving Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s family. At the epicenter: His son Parth Pawar’s firm, Amadea Enterprises LLP, which allegedly scooped up 40 acres of government land in Pune’s swanky Mundhwa area—valued at a whopping Rs 1,800 crore—for a bargain Rs 300 crore. The real kicker? They dodged a Rs 21 crore stamp duty bill, paying just Rs 500, by dangling unfulfilled promises of a data centre. Now, with the deal scrapped amid FIRs and a police probe, the family’s scrambling to cough up double the duty to unwind it. How did this sleight-of-hand happen? We break down the mechanics, the loopholes exploited, and the fallout shaking Nagpur’s corridors.
## The Plot Thickens: A "Bargain" Buy in Pune's Prime Turf
The saga unfolds on a 40-acre parcel once earmarked for the Botanical Survey of India (BSI) in Mundhwa, a buzzing IT and residential hotspot off Pune’s Nagar Road. Sold by the Maharashtra government in 2021, the land fetched Rs 300 crore from Amadea Enterprises—Parth Pawar’s outfit, where he holds a 99% stake alongside partner Digvijay Patil (1%). Market whispers peg its true worth at Rs 1,800 crore, thanks to soaring rates (Rs 45,000-50,000 per sq m in the vicinity).
But the transaction wasn’t your standard stamp-and-sign affair. Documents reveal glaring gaps: No upfront payment proof, no instalment schedule (mandatory under state rules), and a suspiciously lean firm capital of just Rs 1 lakh. Enter the stamp duty dodge—the linchpin of the controversy.
## The Waiver Wizardry: Citing a Phantom Data Centre to Skip Rs 21 Crore
Under Maharashtra’s Stamp Act, 1958 (as amended), buyers owe 7% stamp duty on property deals: 5% state tax, 1% metro cess, and 1% local body tax. For a Rs 300 crore transaction, that’s a cool Rs 21 crore—pocket change for tycoons, but a windfall if waived.
Here’s how Amadea pulled it off:
1. **The Exemption Hook**: The firm invoked a special concession under Article 25(da) of the Maharashtra Stamp Act, designed for IT and data centre projects to lure investments. By pledging to build a "data centre" on the plot, they qualified for a full waiver—reducible to zero if the project kicked off within timelines.
2. **The Application Play**: Sheetal Tejwani, acting as the firm’s power-of-attorney holder and associate, filed for the exemption. Patil was looped in as partner just days before (August 27, 2021), fast-tracking approvals.
3. **The Rubber-Stamp Moment**: Suspended sub-registrar Ravindra Taru greenlit the sale deed on September 3, 2021, slapping on a nominal Rs 500 fee instead of the full whack. No questions on payment modes or project viability—just a nod to the "data centre" vow.
4. **The Non-Starter**: Fast-forward: No data centre materialized. The plot sat idle, drawing BSI eviction notices and opposition fire for "misuse of exemptions meant for genuine infra."
This wasn’t a one-off glitch; it exposed systemic soft spots in stamp duty enforcement, where self-declarations often sail through without audits.
| Waiver Breakdown | Details |
|------------------|---------|
| **Standard Duty Rate** | 7% (5% state + 1% metro cess + 1% local body tax) |
| **Deal Value** | Rs 300 crore |
| **Duty Waived** | Rs 21 crore |
| **Paid Instead** | Rs 500 (nominal fee) |
| **Legal Provision** | Article 25(da), Maharashtra Stamp Act – IT/Data Centre Exemption |
| **Condition** | Project completion within 3-5 years (unmet) |
## Fallout Frenzy: Scrapped Deal, Rs 42 Crore Bill, and a Police Dragnet
The jig was up by November 2025. After opposition onslaughts from Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP rivals, Ajit Pawar announced the deal’s cancellation on November 8. Twist: To nullify the deed, Amadea must fork over *double* the original duty—Rs 42 crore—as penalty under Section 47A of the Stamp Act. No pay, no play; the land reverts to government coffers.
Enter the law: Pimpri-Chinchwad Police lodged an FIR on November 9 against Patil, Tejwani, and Taru for cheating, forgery, and criminal breach of trust (IPC Sections 420, 465, 406). A Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Senior Inspector Anil Vibhute with eight officers, is dissecting the docs for undervaluation and collusion. BSI, meanwhile, slapped an "illegal" eviction notice on the firm, reclaiming its slice.
## Pawar’s Pushback: "Unaware" and "No Rupees Exchanged"
Ajit Pawar, ever the political pugilist, hit back hard: "Not a single rupee was transacted—pure allegations!" He claimed Parth was clueless about the land’s government tag, blaming a "sub-registrar’s error" for the mess. Parth echoed: "We relied on due diligence; the waiver was legit at the time." Yet, critics smell favoritism—Ajit’s revenue portfolio oversight raises eyebrows on oversight lapses.
This isn’t Pawar’s first brush: Echoes of the 2019 irrigation scam linger, with opposition dubbing it "Pawar’s Pune Plunder." As SIT digs, expect more dirt—perhaps on how a Rs 1 lakh firm swung a Rs 300 crore bid.
## Broader Implications: A Wake-Up for Waiver Watchdogs?
This episode spotlights Maharashtra’s lax stamp duty regime, where exemptions for "public good" projects (IT, SEZs) total Rs 5,000+ crore annually, per state audits. Loopholes like self-certification breed abuse, costing treasuries billions. For buyers? A stark reminder: Waivers demand ironclad proofs, or risk double jeopardy.
As Pune’s skyline swells, will this curb crony deals? Or just another chapter in India’s land lottery? Sound off: Systemic flaw or political hit job?
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